UPDATE 2-Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

Sept 18 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,
acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian
companies were reported by 2000 GMT on Thursday.

(For Reuters columns on deals, click on [DEALTALK\] )

** Italian airline Alitalia AZPIa.MI faced the prospect
of liquidation after a business group that had mounted a rescue
bid withdrew its offer, citing union opposition.

To read more, please double click on [ID:nLI475291]

** Constellation Energy Group Inc CEG.N agreed to sell
itself to a unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc
(BRKa.N: Cotización) (BRKb.N: Cotización) for about $4.7 billion in cash after investor
fears about its liquidity cut its value by nearly 60 percent.
[ID:nN18377942]

** Morgan Stanley (MS.N: Cotización), its shares and bonds battered by
anxious investors, is in talks to sell a larger equity stake to
China Investment Corp at the same time it's in merger talks
with Wachovia Corp WB.N and other banks, a person familiar
with the firm's plans said. [ID:nN18387625]

** French power group EDF (EDF.PA: Cotización) is close to a deal to
buy British Energy BGY.L that would secure its expansion and
Britain's nuclear power future, without making big new
concessions, EDF sources said. [ID:nLI715578]
Continuación...